Champion Rules

Chapter 232, Section 228: That's the Eternal Cliff (Seeking monthly votes!)

Humans have always been particularly fascinated by things like "prophecy".

Even if people know that the prediction that "a massive earthquake on July 5, 2025 will trigger a tsunami over 7 meters high, causing one-third of Japan's landmass to sink" is almost impossible to come true.

But countless people still have high hopes.

The same applies to John Hollinger's dynastic prophecies.

People know that establishing a dynasty is extremely difficult.

But I still want to see if all of this will actually become a reality.

Meanwhile, at the ATT center.

Spurs fans are hoping the New Yorkers will suffer their first loss of the new season here.

Last season, the Knicks lost only 8 games in a long six-month regular season.

Even including the playoffs, the Knicks only lost 11 games last season.

This is a truly remarkable achievement, a feat indeed.

It was from this amazing season that the challenge of "beating the New York Knicks" became the ultimate dream of countless fans.

Everyone is curious: where is the next team to beat the New York Knicks?
Just like in 96, everyone was curious about which team would be the next to defeat the Bulls.

Just like in 01, people were curious whether anyone could defeat the OK duo in the playoffs.

It's like 25 years ago people were curious which team would be crazy enough to take over LBJ.

Every time a team emerges that could potentially challenge the Knicks, it generates tremendous attention from fans and the media.

John Hollinger's prediction and the suspense of "the next team to beat the Knicks" have made tonight's game highly anticipated.

The reaction to this game was not only strong in the United States, but also in overseas markets.

Especially in the Asian market.

Before the game started, Lynch greeted the Spurs players.

Number 11 and Number 20 embraced amidst a multitude of cameras.

It's hard to imagine that there was once an era in which two Chinese players were among the most prominent superstars in the NBA.

Lin Qi is delighted that this historical Yao Ming is still playing.

At least when his career is discussed in the future, people won't say, "He left behind too many regrets because his career was too short."

Moreover, judging from the current situation, Yao Ming will likely continue playing basketball for a long time.

Because it was visibly clear that he had become noticeably more lean and muscular.

This must have been a deliberate weight loss arrangement by the Spurs coaching staff, just like they did with Tim Duncan.

Weight loss can help maintain the giant's health to some extent, and with Shaquille O'Neal nearing retirement, there are no longer any strong traditional low-post centers in the league.

Even if Yao Ming loses weight, his weight and strength are still enough to overwhelm 99% of his opponents.

Maintaining health while ensuring dominance is what the Spurs can offer to number 11.

The two embraced, Yao Ming's arm intertwined with Lin Qi's, and he mentioned Lin Qi's answer at yesterday's press conference: "You didn't remember a single word of this season's promotional slogan."

"what?"

"Big things are happening; anything can happen this season."

You guys are incredibly strong, but if you can stay healthy, I think we still have a chance to beat the Knicks in the Finals.

Lin Qi could tell that Yao Ming was very excited and had an unprecedented desire for the championship.

This burning passion has never cooled since he stepped into San Antonio, clad in his silver and black battle robes.

He was once selected as the number one draft pick in the NBA.

He was once the All-Star vote leader.

He was selected to the NBA All-NBA Team five times.

He won an Olympic gold medal twice.

For a pioneer from Asia, this is a legendary milestone worthy of being recorded in history.

Now, only one huge, invisible chasm stands between him and the end of his career—a real NBA championship ring.

Joining the Spurs was like a lighthouse suddenly appearing at the end of a foggy voyage for him.

The ultimate phantom, which had been gazing at from afar for years, suddenly became clear and tangible, within reach.

Therefore, Yao Ming is full of energy.

This was perhaps the most exhilarating year for him, aside from his inexperienced and clueless rookie season.

As a competitor, he naturally hoped to win the championship, in order to reach, or rather, get as close as possible to, Lynch's level.

Lynch patted Number 11 on the back: "I really want to say I wish you all the best, but that would be too hypocritical, because I'm the one who makes things difficult for you."

Yao Ming still had a smile on his face: "It's not certain who's having a run of bad luck, right? If I can beat you and win the championship this season, I'll retire immediately and never play basketball again. Because that will be the peak of my athletic career, and I can't do any better, hahaha."

"In order to let your fans watch you play for a few more years, I've decided not to let you win."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lynch nodded to Tim Duncan in greeting.

Immediately, Lynch turned and left the Spurs' half of the court.

TD and Yao Ming simultaneously felt the air suddenly tighten.

They all knew that when he returned, he wouldn't be so friendly anymore.

The game started quickly, and Yao Ming got possession for the Spurs. Tony Parker quickly ran across half-court.

Lynch glanced at the Spurs' starting lineup; at shooting guard, they had Keith Bogans in.

A seasoned veteran who has almost no offensive value except for spot-up jump shots, but is an excellent defender.

Manu Ginobili will remain the sixth man and will not play for the time being.

It seems the bullet that killed the Spurs will have to fly for a while longer.

In the first offensive possession, Tsim set a screen for Parker at the high post, and Lynch's defensive focus was also on the high post.

But after creating space, Parker did not attack himself.

Instead, they used this space to pass the ball to Yao Ming, who had already secured his position.

Yao Ming has always been absolutely confident in facing Tyson Chandler.

After all, this old rival was practically the one who laid the foundation for his belief that "I can make it in the NBA".

Lin Qi immediately retreated, preparing to attack from both sides.

But Yao Ming's position is already too deep; whether he can score now depends entirely on his own shooting touch.

When Lynch returned to the basket, Yao Ming's hook shot had already banked in.

After scoring, he remained serious and immediately returned to defense.

The San Antonio Spurs are still holding high the banner of old-school basketball, and the twin towers strategy is the same old method they used when they dominated the league a decade ago.

But so far, this is still working.

The twin-tower lineup may seem like the ultimate way to play the game of giants, but in reality, there are only a handful of truly powerful twin-tower combinations in the entire history of the NBA.

It is not easy for two giants to be compatible with each other.

At the end of the last century, Gregg Popovich, with his precise understanding of the technical characteristics of Zach and Admiral, created a twin-tower lineup capable of winning championships.

On offense, Tim Duncan had a lot of freedom, and could shoot from the high post above the free-throw line or take a face-up jab step mid-range shot.

The admiral's mid-range attack also allows the TD to leverage its advantages in low positions.

On the defensive end, the two players have a clear division of labor. One focuses on protecting the rim, while the other focuses on helping on defense, complementing each other seamlessly.

Most importantly, neither of them cared about their personal status; they were solely focused on winning.

Now, he has replicated this style on both Shaq and Yao Ming.

In an era dominated by guards and versatile forwards, the San Antonio Spurs are resolutely challenging the shackles of the times with their most retro twin-tower style of play.

But then the Knicks showed the Spurs what the main trends in basketball were all about.

Lynch didn't score as wildly as he had in the previous games. Instead, he was responsible for drawing the defense, and then Tyson Chandler would set screens for Steve Nash.

Under the No HandCheck rule, a defensive stalwart like Keith Bogans, who is excellent but not top-tier, cannot simply use his hands to stop the Wind Child's footsteps as he circles the cones.

The quality of the interior help defense against a pick-and-roll will determine the effectiveness of that defense.

For a heavy center like Yao Ming, defending pick-and-rolls is undoubtedly a major problem area.

This awe-inspiring mountain has now exposed its raw, vulnerable weakness.

Yao Ming didn't dare to rush forward. Overall, his help defense strategy was to retreat and gamble on the opponent's shooting touch.

So Nash set a screen and immediately pulled up for a mid-range jumper.

"brush."

Steve Nash is still nearing the end of his prime, which is one of John Hollinger's key arguments that the Knicks can build a dynasty.

His ability to punish such misalignment is absolutely formidable.

The battle continues. This time, when Zach and Parker set a pick and roll, Lynch did not stick close to Zach.

Instead, he positioned himself between the high post and the area under the basket.

A cold, icy gate, cutting off the flow of passing, precisely blocked Parker-Yao Ming's scoring corridor.

This wasn't a positioning arrangement by Flip Saunders, but rather Lynch's observation of just one possession that allowed him to grasp the Spurs' offensive rhythm.

For most superstars, in addition to talent, their ability to read the game is vastly different from that of ordinary players.

On the defensive end, superstars can often radiate the entire defense from the most suitable position.

Ordinary players will only run forward the moment the opponent raises the basketball, hoping to score 2 more points.

Lynch's positioning forced Tony Parker to opt for a pull-up jumper, but his current mid-range shooting ability is vastly inferior to Steve Nash's.

"Boom!"

The Spurs' offense lost its magic in the second possession, and Steve Nash used the same 1-5 pick-and-roll to score against Yao Ming again, continuing to punish the slowly sinking Eastern giant.

"TOMAHTO!!!"

The familiar chant of "tomatoes" echoed through the AT&T Center. In just two possessions, Yao Ming had already grown to hate the Knicks' strategy. 4-2.

Trailing in the score prompted Gregg Popovich to immediately stand up and decisively make several tactical gestures towards the court.

The Spurs made some changes to their offense in the following possession.

The game will still start with a pick-and-roll, and the two towers will still restrain each other in the high and low positions.

But the person who went to the lower position became Tim Duncan.

Yao Ming positioned himself near the free-throw line.

Relying on his terrifying mid-range stability, even though his support capabilities are far inferior to the Admiral's, he can effectively clear offensive space for Duncan.
After setting a screen for Parker, Yao Ming stayed near the free-throw line, with Tyson Chandler following closely behind.

The Frenchman passed the ball to the low post again, and Daju got the ball.

After losing weight, he didn't have much of a strength advantage, so instead of a hard drive, he turned sharply and opted for a safe hook shot.

But as soon as the basketball left his hand, Lin Qi slapped it onto the backboard.

The basketball bounced away, and Duncan stretched out his long arm to catch it again, then jumped up and laid it in.

But Lynch, with his terrifying second jump ability, burst into the air almost the instant Duncan's body took off, like a spring compressed to its limit, and his huge hand met Duncan's shooting point, delivering another head-on block!

The basketball was slammed to the ground again, but Parker reacted quickly, bending down to catch it.

He feinted a shot, pretending to attack the basket, but in a flash, he flicked his wrist and swiftly passed the ball back to Duncan, who had retreated to the edge of the penalty area and regained his footing.

Tim Duncan, the legendary power forward, had a sharp look in his eyes and unhesitatingly unleashed his signature move—the iconic 45-degree bank shot.

The familiar starting stance, the familiar rhythm of the shot.
"boom!"

Reggie Miller roared, "Lynch has ended Tim Duncan's offense for the third time in a row!"

One of the greatest power forwards in history, in the same possession, faced Lynch, who focused most of his energy on defense, and was unable to escape with any of his three consecutive attacks!

Even though Tim Duncan is the NBA's most famous player for getting blocked three times in a row, the AT&T Center fell into a deathly silence as he watched.

Yao Ming also swallowed hard.

When TD is in the high post, Lynch can accurately intercept passes.

When TD plays in the low post, Lynch is not at a disadvantage in one-on-one situations.

In his view, Lynch was almost a perfect defender.

Prior to this, Yao Ming already knew the level of Lin Qi's defense.

It's not that he hasn't been teammates with Lynch. It's no exaggeration to say that if you put Lynch on any NBA team, that team would instantly become a defensive powerhouse.

But Yao Ming also harbored a sliver of hope, believing that he and Tsim, the league's top twin towers duo, might be able to break through Lynch's defenses with their enormous size advantage and seamless teamwork.

However, the harsh reality of these few rounds shattered his illusions like a cold hammer.

Despite facing the Spurs' twin towers, Lynch's defensive dominance remained unshaken.

In the next few rounds, the Spurs had a very difficult time.

They are struggling on both offense and defense.

On offense, Yao Ming returned to the low post, and Tyson Chandler was destroyed as soon as he received the ball.

The problem is that, under Lynch's defense, Parker has a hard time getting the ball safely into Yao Ming's hands.

And if he chooses to pass the ball to Duncan for a mid-range shot, Lynch can immediately pounce on him to create interference.

Lynch almost single-handedly controlled the Twin Towers combination!

On the other end, Steve Nash challenged Gregg Popovich's nerves with his incredible jump shot.

The Spurs' defensive essence has remained unchanged for over a decade: deny the three-point line and the paint, forcing opponents into the least efficient and most difficult mid-range graveyard.

At no point in time has the Spurs been a team that embraced "Moreyball".

But on the defensive end, they are undoubtedly a team that has adopted a "reverse Modric" approach.

Block off the two areas with the highest offensive efficiency.

Kobe Bryant was one of the few monsters who could crush this defense with his unstoppable individual firepower.

Tonight, Steve Nash also put this defensive system in trouble by using more modern pick-and-rolls and punishing mismatches.

Four minutes later, the Spurs were down by 8 points.

Gregg Popovich calls a timeout.

When he can't get his tactics going, he'll habitually play his trump card.

"Manu!" the silver-haired old man shouted towards the substitutes' bench.

On the edge of the bench, Manu Ginobili practically sprang from his seat! His eyes burned with a desperate, burning intensity!

He was eager to prove himself!
His excitement at this moment was not solely due to the team's predicament.

Furthermore, it was due to RC Buford's increasingly cold scrutinizing gaze and that soul-searching question.

If he wants a contract extension, he must save himself right now with a stellar performance.

Yes, people sang about San Antonio's utopian fairy tale full of sacrifice, as if GDP were a family that would never disband.

But that's just the result of media embellishment.

The NBA is a real league composed of adult men, and the GDP (Gross Manufacture, Industrial Revolution, and Defensive Player of the Year) has faced disbandment crises more than once.

Putting aside everything else, even that silent cornerstone once had the idea of ​​leaving the Holy City.

Similarly, the Spurs' love for the GDP trio is not static.

Now is the time for the Spurs to test Manu Ginobili.

In fact, RC Buford did not really want to give up on the Argentine.

He said that partly as a warning, and partly to provoke him into a better state of mind.

However, it clearly had the opposite effect.

Manu Ginobili came on the court, eager to get possession and prove himself.

But Tony Parker held the basketball tightly in his hand, while Manu Ginobili's anxious palms reached out in vain time and time again.

The Frenchman ignored his calls for the ball, and the basketball stubbornly flew towards the giant inside, or turned into a cold mid-range shot in his hand.

Of course, this is Manu Ginobili's own perspective.

From Parker's perspective, Raja Bell was willing to have Nash guard him in order to guard Manu Ginobili.

If he encounters an off-ball screen, Wilson Chandler is even willing to abandon his own matchup to help defend.

Sometimes, Lynch might be the one sent to provide backup defense.

Passing the ball to the Argentinians became an extremely risky move, and the Spurs have always emphasized controlling turnovers.

So Parker didn't give him the ball.

The French didn't understand why the Knicks were so fixated on defending Manu.

He didn't want to understand either.

He simply started to cleverly exploit the attack corridor that opened up to him after the Knicks' defense shifted.

As the Knicks' defensive resources were tilted towards Manu, he got more opportunities.

He could easily break through Steve Nash's defense and drive into the paint to score a layup.

However, the score difference still could not be leveled.

Parker's offense isn't a panacea, and the Spurs' defense is even worse than before the substitution.

Manu Ginobili seemed to have lost his mind, repeatedly giving Raja Bell wide-open shots.

Shortly after Manu entered the game, Raja Bell had already hit two three-pointers!

In the eighth minute of the first quarter, Yao Ming received the ball in the low post and prepared to turn around and shoot.

But this time, Lynch's help defense was even faster, instantly forming a double team with Tyson Chandler.

Yao Ming had to pass the ball to Ginobili, who was cutting in, which was Ginobili's second shot attempt in the first quarter.

But Lynch turned around and jumped, blocking the Argentine's layup attempt.

Nobody knows what Manu Ginobili is doing; he clearly has countless flashy moves he could pull off.

But he seemed anxious, as if he feared the points would slip away.

Lynch, on the other hand, delivered a terrifying 4 blocks in a single quarter.

The Knicks countered, and Duncan quickly retreated to the basket, where Steve Nash found Lynch cutting in.

Despite TD's flawless defense, Lynch resolutely pressed forward.

Duncan's excellent positioning and timing of his jump allowed him to cover the basketball with his large hand, and he was about to complete the block.

But Lynch pulled the ball back in mid-air, his arm went under TD's armpit, and he scored with a layup!
Lynch displayed exceptional individual ability on both offense and defense, widening the gap to 11 points!
The Spurs paused the game, and Lynch smiled and high-fived his teammates.

Yao Ming was panting heavily, sweat dripping down his brow bone, as he walked heavily toward the bench.

As soon as he stepped off the court, he saw Gregg Popovich, his face flushed, yelling:
"Damn it, was your form stolen?! What are you doing?! You let that bastard Raja Bell sink two three-pointers! And that last offensive play, you actually thought you could challenge Lynch like that?! What are you doing?! What the hell are you doing?!"

Manu Ginobili also spread his hands, saying, "I don't know what we're doing. I don't understand why I just can't receive the ball!"

Parker looked innocent: "Manu, listen, it's because the Knicks defended you too badly."

"I know! I know everything!" The Argentinian was both angry and remorseful. "The problem is me! All the mistakes, all the root of the problem, are fucking with me! I'm the damn evil source that deserves to go to hell!"

This San Antonio Spurs team, which believes in sacrifice, unity, and humility, is unusually embroiled in internal turmoil.

Will this team defeat the Knicks and set their sights on the throne?
Yao Ming suddenly looked at Lin Qi in the other half of the court and stared at him silently.

Lynch's personal abilities, locker room control, emotional stability, intimidation, and dominance are all incredibly good.

Yao Ming wanted to win a championship, wanted to beat the Knicks, and wanted to at least get close to Lynch.

But at this moment, he suddenly felt...

This is nothing more than the vain and extravagant hope that mortals have when they look up at the stars.

That height was an eternal cliff that he could never reach in his entire life.

(End of this chapter)